


Almost Perfect

by sapphicthots



Category: RWBY
Genre: Atlas Academy, Bumbleby - Freeform, F/F, Light Angst, School Dances
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-02-28
Updated: 2019-02-28
Packaged: 2019-11-06 21:29:36
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,987
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17947427
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sapphicthots/pseuds/sapphicthots
Summary: After landing in Atlas, Yang asks Blake to the Atlas Academy dance.





	Almost Perfect

The mirror steams over as Yang sizes herself up. She’s wearing a deep purple suit, silver cufflinks, narrow tie, and shiny black shoes, and she’s just starting to apply a coat of mascara, the only makeup she ever wears, when Ruby pops her head out from behind the shower curtain.

“You look amazing, sis!” Ruby squeals, her hair still foamy with shampoo.

“Thanks,” Yang laughs, “but I’m not sure if these are the right clothes for a school dance. I feel underdressed.”

Ruby disappears back behind the curtain. “I think you’ll be fine. Weiss is planning on showing up in a full-length gown.”

“I guess you’re right, we can always count on Atlas to be…”

“Bougie?”

“I hate that word, but yes.” Yang wipes down the mirror with her sleeve, cringing slightly at the damp feel of it against her wrist. “From what I’ve heard, the Atlas dances are a lot more formal than any of the other schools. It’s the whole nine yards: corsages, finger food, fancy partner dances—”

The bathroom door swings open. “Hang on,” Weiss says, poking her head in, a towel wrapped around her shoulders. “You have the opportunity to dance with the girl of your dreams, and you’re not at all excited for it? Who are you, and what have you done with my teammate?”

“What are _you_ doing in here?” Yang tries to push her outside, but Weiss wedges her towel-clad hip firmly against the doorframe. “Were you eavesdropping?”

“You said bougie and her ears started burning,” Ruby quips.

“Very funny, Ruby. Yes, I was eavesdropping, because you need ask Blake to the dance already! She’s been sitting and moping for days now, and she needs someone to cheer her up.”

Yang sighs. “I don’t want to bother her. She’s still suffering over Adam’s death, and the last thing I want to do is force her to go to some party that she won’t even enjoy.”

“Have you considered,” Weiss says as she lifts herself daintily onto the counter, “that maybe this is exactly what she needs? Help her take her mind off everything. We’re teenagers tasked with saving the world, for gods’ sake. We could use a break.”

Yang considers this. “You might have a point. I have to ask, though, is this another attempt at trying to get us together?”

Weiss smiles coquettishly. “I don’t know _what_ you’re talking about. I’m just trying to make sure my teammate is properly comforted…. And if, in the process, you two useless idiots end up together, I can take full credit for it.”

“Aw, how humble. Now get out. I need to get ready if I’m going to do this.”

Weiss smirks. “Happy to help.”

Ruby giggles from behind the curtain. “You’ll do great, sis!”

“Yeah. I hope so.”

 

Walking down the hall to Blake’s room, Yang feels a knot of trepidation in her stomach. She and Blake haven’t talked much since they landed in Atlas, and Blake has isolated herself from the whole group. Yang knows that feeling well, and she knows even better that she shouldn’t hover over Blake, that she should let her process her grief at her own pace. Under that layer of concern, though, there’s a slightly more selfish thought pulsing. When Blake had taken her hand in battle and their eyes met, Yang instantly felt more love than she ever had in her life, as if she and Blake were drawing from a well of pure emotion. She’d had feelings for Blake almost since meeting her, but this was entirely different. She’d felt as if she could do anything, as if nothing in the world mattered more than having Blake in her arms. Thoughts of the suicide mission they’d been sent on, the looming prospect of having to fight the most powerful immortal in the world; none of those things had mattered once Blake took her hand. In that moment, and in every moment after that, until they touched down on Atlas soil, they protected each other with everything they had, not letting go of each other’s hands, Yang’s hand smoothing over Blake’s back every time the jet hit a bump of turbulence. Yang hopes desperately that nothing has changed.

Blake answers the door on the first knock, looking surprised to see Yang. “Oh! Um, hi.” There’s color rising to her face, and her ears are perked and alert. “I wasn’t expecting you.”

“Are you alright? You look flushed.” Yang is concerned. Does Blake want her to leave? “I can come back later, if you want, or I can just—"

“No, not at all, um, I just… your suit. It looks good.” She’s bright red now.

“Oh.” _Oh._

“So, uh, was there something you needed, or…” Blake trails off, looking at the floor, seemingly willing away whatever reaction she’s just had.

“Yeah, actually.” Yang sighs, steeling herself. “I know you’ve been processing your grief, and I know you, so I know you’re doing it healthily. I just also want to make sure we’re still talking, and hanging out, and… I want to ask you something, and I know that you might not want to do it, but please keep an open mind.”

Blake wrinkles her nose, and damn if that doesn’t make Yang’s resolve crumble even more. “Okay, what is it?”

“Blake, will you… Will you go to the Atlas dance with me? It’s fine if you say no, I totally understand if you feel it’s too soon to celebrate and—”

“ _Yes.”_ Blake’s hand shoots out to grab Yang’s wrist, and she looks just as surprised as Yang feels. “Yes. I would love to go. Yes.”

Yang blinks rapidly. “Great! Okay, then, uh, I guess we can meet there? Ruby and I are going out to dinner beforehand.”

Blake nods, a shy smile playing at the corner of her lips. “Yeah. I’d like that.”

Before Yang can say anything else, Blake darts forward and pecks Yang on the cheek. Her blush has spread down to her neck. They stare at each other for a split second, and then Blake smiles, a genuine smile where Yang can actually see her pointed canines She resists the urge to pull her close and kiss her again, and instead grins and says, almost teasingly, “I’ll see you tonight.”

 

The dance is exactly what Yang expected. Atlas students mill around to the sound of a string quartet, snacking on hors d’oeuvres that Yang has never seen in her life. She’s standing and chatting with Nora, who is stunning in a bubblegum-pink backless gown, and then stops mid-sentence as she sees Blake walk through the door.

She’s wearing a floor-length black tulle gown with intricate gold stitching across the bodice, the design dipping just below her waist. Yang’s breath catches as she notices that the dress slits up Blake’s left thigh, exposing pale, creamy skin. Tight gold bracelets encircle her arms, and her hair has been swept into a wavy updo that looks effortless. Her makeup is minimal, but her eyes are tightlined, and rimmed with a purple that Yang realizes matches her suit exactly. Blood rushes to Yang’s face immediately, and she can’t help but stare as Blake looks around the room until their eyes finally meet.

“Aaaaaaand that’s my cue to go. Good luck, Yang, don’t do anything I wouldn’t do!” Nora zips away, cackling just a little bit.

“That’s not much!” Yang calls after her, then turns her attention back to Blake. “Um, hi. You look—I mean, you’re just… wow.”

Blake looks away shyly. “Thanks. So are you.”

They stand there like that for a little bit in comfortable silence, drinking each other in, until Yang’s eyes drift to Blake’s ears, and she notices that they’re hidden by a black bow. She furrows her brow. “Blake, why do you—”

“Let’s dance.” Blake takes Yang’s hand and guides her to the dance floor. The quartet is playing a lively waltz, and Blake seems to adapt to it with some ease. “Have you ever waltzed before?”

Yang shakes her head. “Do I look like someone who’s ever been to a dance as fancy as this?”

Blake smiles. “My mother taught me when I was little. Here, I’ll lead.”

They fall into a simple step, Yang losing her rhythm the first few times and tripping over her own feet, but eventually finding the tempo. Blake smiles more than anyone has seen in a while, even laughing a little as Yang stumbles, but every time Yang looks at her, she sees the bow, and Blake’s rare show of joy doesn’t cheer her up like it should.

 

They dance through song after song, and while Yang lets Blake lead her through waltzes and two-steps and a series of twirls, her smile doesn’t quite reach her eyes. She can tell that Blake’s caught on: she seems especially attuned to Yang’s emotions tonight. Eventually, the song changes into a slow song, and Yang smiles encouragingly.

“I actually know how to dance this one.” She guides Blake’s arms around her shoulders and pulls their bodies flush against each other, savoring Blake’s reddening cheeks. Even though Yang knows she should be loving this, her mind can’t help but stray to the bow, and she feels a wave of sadness cresting in her chest. She’s brought back to attention by Blake’s voice.

“Yang, tonight has been amazing. Spending time with you like this, without worrying about anything, has been perfect.” Blake punctuates her statement with a slight brush of her Yang’s shoulder, and the motion is electric.

“Almost. Tonight was almost perfect.”

Blake frowns. “What do you mean? We spent all night dancing, we’re not worried about anything, what could possibly make tonight better?”

Yang reaches up to Blake’s bow, gently unraveling the ribbon and letting it fall to the ground so Blake’s ears are free. “This. Now everything’s perfect.”

Blake’s eyes widen in alarm. “Yang, what are you thinking? I can’t be seen like this. Atlas is intolerant enough of the Faunus without seeing one here, dancing with a human.” She begins to pull away, scanning the crowd to see if anyone’s noticed, but Yang places a soft hand on her shoulder.

“Hey. Listen to me. When I asked you to come with me tonight, I didn’t care for one second that people might stare, or someone might say something. I wanted tonight to be about me and you, two people who aren’t bound by stupid, arbitrary rules. No one else matters, because from the second I saw you tonight, I haven’t looked away. Let’s forget about politics just for tonight. We’re just two people enjoying a dance together, and I don’t want to be here with anyone but you.”

Blake smiles, and her eyes fill with tears. “Yang… that means everything to me. You mean everything to me.”

This time, Yang leans down to kiss her, and it’s more intense than the peck Blake gave her earlier. She captures Blake’s bottom lip between hers, cupping her face and tilting it up just slightly. There’s yearning in the kiss, the knowledge that they should have done it a long time ago, but there’s also pure adoration, the type that makes Yang pull back and stare at Blake starry-eyed.

“I’ve been wanting to do that ever since our first dance at Beacon.”

“What stopped you?”

Yang chuckles. “Between the imminent collapse of the world as we knew it and the loss of my arm, I never had the time.”

Blake rolls her eyes, but there’s fondness in it. “Should I put my bow back on? People are staring.”

Yang smiles, and this time, it reaches her eyes. “You’re lucky I don’t mind being stared at.”

With that, Yang dips Blake seamlessly into a kiss, and sighs happily as she feels Blake smile against her lips, the warmth of her body drawing her closer as the music swells, and the gentle twitch of her ears against Yang’s open palm.

**Author's Note:**

> Credit for the idea goes to my friend. Thanks for inspiring my dumb ass.


End file.
